November 18th

just finished my kitty's first sweater - I took a dog pattern and improvised it (annoying my cat along the way) to get her a new warm coat for the winter! I made quite a few mistakes while making it, but I learned a lot and I am ready to try another one! (lots of other projects in the works though so not sure how quickly I will be able to do it, although a friend wants one for her doggy!)

This piece of lace has been on the needles for what seems like forever. It is being given to a friend who is retiring and moving interstate to a sub-tropical climate where she wont need a heavy scarf. Lace seemed a better alternative.

The yarn is merino hand-painted by Margaret Stove from New Zealand, and the design is by Sharon Miller from her book Heirloom Knitting.

Finished this belt a little over a week ago. I had these balls of hemp beading twine sitting around forever and just decided one day to knit them into a belt, so I grabbed some number ones and knitted a few inches in stockinette for the buckle then did a basic six stitch cable with two stitches on the side and yes, I actually wanted them to curl up. I should have used three balls, one yellow, and two green, one for each side but for the sake of laziness, I carried the green behind. For the part that goes through the belt, I decreased by two and did it stockinette with a double garter stitch (sl 1 kwise, k 1, k2 on end) selvage to hopefully keep it from curling but it didn't work: the selvage was tighter than the stockinette which I didn't think about because it never mattered before but in this case, I have to pull it tight since its a belt and that winds up curling it up after just a few pulls. The twist from the cable also doesn't make things any better.

Its not perfect, far from it, but its the first thing, aside from scarves, I've knitted up without a pattern, so for that, I'm proud of it.

I'm definitely going to have to make a second one: this time maybe with a real hemp yarn so it'll look less twiney, using three balls, putting a purl row right after the end of the cable to help neutralize the twist, and with a stitch that won't curl when pulled hard.

November 17th

Just got back from our local indie bookstore where Michael Di Vecchio was speaking and signing his new book, Knitting With Balls. He was a lot of fun to listen to - I was a bit amazed that it was mostly woman attending, but there was a fair sprinkling of us guys there too, including one hip gentleman in a utili-kilt. If you have a chance to go hear him speak (Michael, not the gentleman in the kilt), by all means, go. His blog is at http://trickytricot.typepad.com/. Quite fine.

Ok, time for pizza and tv in front of the fire. It's the first night of a week of vacation for me. I'm so looking forward to a week of knitting and eating and, ok catching up on paperwork.

So, I finally got this cashmere blend, basket-weave scarf looking right...and I came to the end of my ball. A trip to the store I bought it from proved fruitless...they were out. So is the manufacturer. "Out of stock" on their website. I sent an email asking for an ETA on more, but no answer so far. My mom may end up with a differnt color scarf...

Well in the meantime while making my hats in the round, I have finished a Teddy Bear in Crochet. I hope you like him, his name is Bernie. Right now I am working on a Koala Teddy Bear for those Mates that Like it Regional down under.

I finished my first halfdome stocking cap last night. I'm just not happy with how it turned out. I did it on circulars. I used close to the type of yarn requested, but I knit so loose, it just didn't turn out well. I made it too big, so it doesn't hug the head, also that yarn just isn't stretchy. I might try another, but definitely go smaller and I think I'll just use cascade. I can also knit tighter with two strands. I'll give that a shot. If anyone has any other tips for the half dome let me know. Perhaps I should learn how to english and knit that way in just certain situations so I can get tighter and control my tension better. :-(

November 16th

Thanks again guys! I have been overwhelmed by the number of guys who have welcomed me to the group in the spirit of sharing i'm adding a pic of 2 beanies that i recently completed they are fairly basic by the standard i have seen on this site. The original pattern was the london beanie found on the internet however i found that it puckered on the crown so i added a knit row between every decrease row and that solved the problem. Thanks to you guys i'm being inspired to add a fair isle trim to my next beanie project. great to be here and nice to meet you all.
kind regards Arron

One month to go: The sweaters for mom and dad, the backs completed. Mom's is the small squares pattern from Kaffe Fassett, and dad is just the extra long tails from when I cut the yarn for the sqares for mom. They will both be V neck cardigans. I think a month is an appropriate time for a beat the clock christmas sweater segment, don't you? The color is a little off: They actually are both more green than anything.